Media Confidential What gets lost when war hits the headlines
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Mar 16, 2026 Margaret Sullivan, former New York Times public editor and Buffalo News editor, now a media columnist and Substack writer. She discusses how war coverage crowds out other stories. She explores whether conflict serves as political distraction. She critiques headline clarity and the decline of the public editor role in holding newsrooms accountable.
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War Quickly Erases Other News Agendas
- War coverage routinely crowds out other major stories in the US press.
- Margaret Sullivan observed Iran strikes wiped out attention to Epstein files, Trump's approval and midterm concerns in the immediate days after the attacks.
Timing Of Conflict Raises Political Questions
- Political timing can create suspicion that conflict distracts from domestic problems even without direct proof.
- Sullivan invoked Wag the Dog and noted Trump's low approval and heated Epstein files made the timing notable though she stopped short of accusing intent.
Prestige Papers Can Keep Coverage But Front Pages Shift
- Major outlets like The New York Times still cover multiple beats but front pages skew heavily to conflict.
- Sullivan notes the Times continued Epstein coverage yet print editions showed Iran-dominant pages in the early days.